Convicted Dudley rapist back in jail for sex offender order breach

A CONVICTED Dudley rapist who moved in with a mother and her two children in breach of his sexual offenders registration has been jailed.

Michael Harkins, who lived in Glen Road, had been jailed for four-and-a-half years in 2010 and told he must sign the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

He breached the conditions of the order by becoming resident in a house in Gornal where children were present and by failing to notify police of his change of address.

Judge Michael Dudley told 25-year-old Harkins: "The courts make these orders for the protection of children. You did tell the young lady about your conviction for rape but you were not frank with the police."

Harkins further breached the order by failing to notify police that he had become a man with no fixed address after his relationship with the woman came to an end.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court, Judge Dudley ruled only a sentence of immediate custody was appropriate and Harkins was sent to prison for eight months.

Simon Hanns, for Harkins, said it was accepted his client had not been straight with the police but he had revealed his past history and the nature of his conviction to the woman.

Mr Hanns added: "They appeared to be having a perfectly normal, loving relationship, had he been open with the police we just do not know what would have happened."

Anjad Rashid, prosecuting, told the court it was clear Harkins had failed to comply with the order and he had deliberately misled the police.